The "Master of Wine" is the wine trade's most famous and
demanding professional qualification.
The examination consists of four written papers, three
practical (wine tasting) papers, and a dissertation, testing candidates on
subjects as diverse as vinification, viticulture, the history
of wine, and knowledge of wine markets around the world.
Masters of Wine are probably best known for their wine
tasting ability and so it is not surprising that they are
in much demand for wine buying positions in all sectors
of the wine business. The pass rate for the examination
is notoriously low. The first candidates passed
in 1953, when 6 were successful, but there are still only 250 Masters of Wine in the
world.
Most Masters of Wine work in the British wine trade, but
the exam is now sat in Sydney and North America as well
as in London, and an increasing number of successful candidates
are now from outside the UK.
The Institute of Masters of Wine is based in London. It
is committed to providing an exceptional level of wine education
to those involved in the wine business and also to promoting
excellence in wine throughout the world.
For more information about the Institute, take a look at the IMW website.
